Madhur Jaffrey’s Cauliflower with Ginger and Coriander

Excellent dish from The Essential Madhur Jaffrey. The recipes in this book are foolproof and absolutely tasty, with plenty of veggie options. I served the dish with rice and a simple lettuce salad.

Method

Peel and coarsely chop the ginger, then put it into a blender with 4tbsp water. Blend until smooth.

Cut off the thick, coarse stem of the cauliflower and remove all leaves. Break the cauliflower into florets, with your hands, or a sharp knife if it is tightly packed. Slice the lower part of the stems into fairly thin rounds, then cut the cauliflower into slim delicate florets – no wider than 2.5cm, with stems no longer than 4cm. Wash the florets and stem slices in a colander and leave to drain.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the ginger paste and turmeric and fry, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Add the green chilli or cayenne pepper and green coriander. Cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and continue to cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. If the mixture begins to stick to the pan, sprinkle with 1tsp warm water from time to time.

Add the cumin, coriander, garam masala, lemon juice, salt and 3tbsp warm water. Cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes. Cover the pan, lower the heat, and cook slowly for 35-40 minutes, stirring gently every 10 minutes. The cauliflower is ready when it is tender with just a faint trace of crispness along its inner spine.

Transfer to a shallow serving bowl. Serve with hot chapatis, or parathas, or any kind of lentil dish and plain boiled rice.